Federal Judge Tosses Levittown Woman’s Flatulence Lawsuit

A federal judge in New Jersey has thrown out a Falls Township woman’s lawsuit that involved her husband’s flatulence.

U.S. District Court Judge Freda Wolfson issued a written decision on the case earlier this year. The decision dismissed Falls’ resident Louann Clem’s suit against Case Pork Roll Company in Trenton.

In her filing, Louann Clem was seeking punitive and compensatory damages after her husband, Richard, was fired from Case’s, where the couple worked, for passing too much gas in the workplace. Louann Clem argued that her husband’s flatulence was the by-product of a 2010 gastric bypass surgery he underwent. The Falls man suffered serious side effects like “extreme gas and uncontrollable diarrhea” following the operation.

Louann Clem, a resident of Falls’ Levittown section, alleged that the couple began being harassed by management at the pork roll manufacturer due to Richard Clem’s flatulence.

“Tell Rich that we are getting complaints from visitors who have problems with the odors,” one manager allegedly told Louann Clem.

Richard Clem was fired in February 2014 and his wife quit the same day, the now-dismissed lawsuit said.

Louann Clem’s suit stated her husband’s firing violated federal laws protecting disabled workers.

Wolfson wrote that Louann Clem’s suit failed to sufficiently allege comments and actions by Case’s management was “objectively hostile or abusive.”

Tom Grieb, the owner of Case, told MyCentralNJ.com after the suit was filed that the Clems were let go because they didn’t want to take a pay cut.

NJ.com first reported Wednesday that the suit was tossed.